Nagpur: Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose was one of the greatest freedom fighters during the independence movement which was fought for freeing India from foreign tyranny. In his mission, he was ably assisted by great revolutionaries. One such freedom fighter was Late Atul Chandra Kumar. His grandson and Nagpur based teacher Soumyajit Thakur throws light on his unparalleled contributions for the country.
Atul Babu was born on April 5, 1905 at Araidanga, Malda. Displaying leadership qualities right from childhood, he participated in Gandhiji’s non-cooperation movement in 1921. As a student leader in Berhampur, he invited leaders like Sarojini Naidu and C R Das to instil patriotism among students. In retaliation for the then Bengal Governor Stanley Jackson’s anti India remarks, he threw shoes at him in an event in Berhampur, for which he suffered rustication and had to complete education from another institution in law.
In 1928, Atul Kumar established the Dinanath Bholanath Model Academy school in his remote hometown, Araidanga. In 1930, he led the salt satyagraha and spearheaded civil disobedience activities in northern Bengal. For this he suffered two long jail terms and was released only in 1936. During imprisonment, he was extensively tortured by the British police for knowing the whereabouts and activities of Netaji and his colleagues, but he never revealed anything. During 1938-39, he enabled Netaji ’s election as President of the Haripura and Tripuri Congress sessions and arranged his visit to Malda. In August 1938, he was instrumental in sending of a delegation of political leaders and doctors to China, as a gesture of Indian National Congress’s support to Chinese people during the Sino-Japanese war.
In 1943, as Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministry of Khwaja Nazimuddin, he, along with A K Fazlul Haque and Sarat Chandra Bose, foiled Jinnah’s nefarious designs and prevented the communalisation of the education sector. In October 1943, Netaji sent TK Rao of Madras from the Burma front, in a Japanese submarine to the Kathiawar coast to give important messages to Atul Babu and his colleagues. As his colleagues got arrested, only Atul Babu was able to carry out Netaji’s instructions.
After independence, he focussed more on humanitarian service. Along with his colleagues, Atul Babu also saved countless lives during yearly floods in Bengal. Under instructions of Dr Kameshwar Singh, the Maharaja of Darbhanga, he wrote and presented the book ‘Mithila in India’ to USSR leaders Bulganin and Khrushchev during their state visit to India in 1955. He coordinated Acharya Vinoba Bhave’s activities during his 1962 Malda visit. He also fought for the cause of tenants oppressed by powerful Landlords.
This great nationalist and statesman passed away on September 16, 1967 in Kolkata. In recognition of his contributions, the West Bengal Government named a market in Malda as ‘Atul Market’.
Being his grandson, Soumyajit feels privileged and considers some of his and Netaji’s rare letters and photographs in his possession as his prized belongings and is himself trying to render significant contributions to society.
